Government land release to create 100,000 homes

Housing Minister Grant Shapps confirmed that by this autumn, every Government department with significant landbanks will publish plans to release thousands of acres of previously-developed land to housebuilders, so they can get on and build the homes the country needs – supporting thousands of jobs and releasing funds to help in the vital work of bringing down the Budget deficit.

To make this radical ambition a reality by 2015 the Public Expenditure Committee, a Cabinet Committee chaired by Francis Maude, will go through each department’s plans to make sure every possible site is made available for housebuilding.

Alongside this, property specialists from across Government will work with each department and challenge them to release as much land as they can for new homes.

Ministers are also encouraging councils to follow the lead set by central Government and make their unused land available for development.

Shapps said: "As one of the country’s biggest landlords, the Government has a critical role to play in making sites available for developers so we can get the homes this country needs built.

"So today, I can confirm an ambitious challenge across Government to release enough land from Whitehall’s grip for 100,000 new homes across the country. Over the coming months, property specialists will work to make sure no stone is left unturned and no site is left unused, and every department’s plans will come under the close scrutiny of a Cabinet committee."